Herb Oils

Herb oils are a great way to elevate almost any dish. You can use them on soups, meats, veggies, or anywhere you want to add a pop of color and herbaceous flavor.

In the dish featured on the home page of this website, I used a terragon oil with some parsley and garlic. But the main message here is to not be intimidated by tarragon. It’s anise flavor, which is a licorice type flavor, can be intimidating, but tarragon is an excellent pairing for meats and root vegetables.

Chive oil is another great one, adding a bit of sweet onion flavor. Remember, the fat of the oil is a great balancing act for these flavors and also delivers that component of the dish. Even when you’re using meats, a fatty element will help create a well-rounded dish along with brightness/acid, spice, salt, herbs, and sweet flavors.

You can use almost any herb and this is a great way for novice cooks to experiment with flavors and technique. It’s almost impossible to mess up and it serves as a great teacher for flavor pairing. Below I’ll go into a few methods of preparation and some suggested parings to get you on your way.

Methods

Muddle and Rest

This method is great, but it’s not my top choice. One, it’s time consuming and, two, it doesn’t get out quite the level of flavor and color that I like to use in my herb oils. Although it’s worth noting that sometimes you might want a milder flavor and less color, depending on the dish.

For this method, simply muddle your herbs of choice using a mortar and pestle to crush the herbs and release their flavor and natural oils. Fill a mason jar or any jar with a lid with oil and add your crushed herbs. Shake well and let sit at least 8 hours or overnight.

Strain before serving.

Dry Herb Oil

Here, you simply add dried herbs to oil and let it sit for a week or so to impart flavor. This method has the benefit of being able to taste it along the way and add any spices you might want to add…turmeric or garlic or what have you. You can always add these things to any other method, but you don’t get the benefit of letting those flavors really develop and adjusting over time.

Alternatively, it’s not quite as flavorful as other methods and lacks brightness. Also, it’s much easier to get a bit carried away with the additions and end up with a mess of flavors that don’t work.

This one can be strained or not before serving, depending on the aesthetic you’re going for.

Emulsified Fresh Herb Oil

This is my method of choice. I like it because it gives all the flavor, aroma, and color. It’s also quicker, which I like. I can make it right then and there for my dinner and use whatever herbs I have on hand that work well with the dish I’m creating.

You can sweat things like garlic by steaming it or you can roast it a bit for that smoky sweet flavor, or you can use raw garlic. For other roots like ginger and turmeric, I use them raw, but it’s really dealer’s choice. Just be careful not to go overboard, or these flavors will overpower your oil.

Pour your desired amount of oil into Vitamix, blender, or fill a jar with oil and use an immersion blender (you can even use a food processor if you don’t have any of these tools) then add herbs and blend away. Taste it and add salt and spices to taste.

Strain at least twice before serving using a fine mesh strainer. You can also line a strainer with cheese cloth to cut down on the number of strains—it’s a bit of a palaver either way, but worth it in the end.

Pairing Suggestions

Tarragon Oil:
I like to add parsley to this oil to balance it a bit, but it’s not necessary. Use with flavors like fennel, parsnip, chicken/white meat, or anything earthy and/or gamey.

Chive Oil:
This one is a staple for me. I add a little garlic to it as well. It’s pretty universal and pairs with everything. Who doesn’t like some sweet onion and garlic flavor?

Rosemary Oil:
This one can stand alone or you can add some basil as well. Pairs well with starches and breads, almost any meat, or drizzle it over a salad with some sherry vinegar for a savory bite to compliment fruits like strawberry, blackberry, and nuts and seeds.

Sage Oil:
Sage goes a looooong way. Don’t overdo this one and I recommend adding parsley as well temper the sage. Pairs well with meat and sweet greens like spinach.

The options are literally endless. Have an idea but not sure how it will pair with your meal? Reach out!